KSWM

KSWM
Aurora, Missouri ;
Broadcast area	Springfield, Missouri
Frequency	940 kHz
Branding	Boomer Radio 940 AM
Programming
Format	News Talk Information
Ownership
Owner	Falcon Broadcasting
Sister stations	KRMO KKBL KQMO
Technical information
Facility ID	167
Class	D
Power	1,000 watts day; 38 watts night
Links
Website

Last updated December 20, 2023

KSWM (940 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Aurora, Missouri, United States, it serves the Springfield MO area. The station is currently owned by Falcon Broadcasting.

History

KSWM began broadcasting in 1961. It was owned and operated by Galen O. Gilbert, a long-time radio station owner. At the time, Gilbert also owned KBTN-AM, in nearby Neosho, Missouri. At first, KSWM broadcast from a storefront location on Locust Street in Aurora. However, in the mid-1960s, plans were underway to build a companion FM station and a new studio building at the corner of Locust and Jefferson Streets. KSWM-AM and its new FM station (KSWM-FM) began broadcasting from the new building 1967. KSWM-AM continues to broadcast from this studio today, even though the FM stations have gone through many changes.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the station was managed by Joe McCullah, who wore many hats at the station. McCullah was perhaps best remember for his "Revolving Bandstand" program, which played the Top40 "Rock N Roll" hits of the day. The station was also known for a "Quiz Bowl" competition between local high school teams, similar to TV's College Bowl program. Other well known members of the staff during that era were Everett Archer, Ralph Lynch, Randy Estes and a very young Les Sweckerd, who would change his name to "Les Garland" and go on be a part of the formative group of MTV.

Around 1980, the station was sold to a group of local businessmen, and then to Dale Hendrix, who attempted to upgrade the station to 5,000 watts and move the transmitter site to near Republic, Missouri. Both of those efforts failed, however Hendrix did upgrade the companion FM station (KELE) to 50,000 watts and sold it to Sunburst Media, and it became KGMY-FM ("My Country") operated from Springfield, Missouri. (now KSWF, owned by iHeartMedia)

In 1991, Hendrix turned KSWM-AM back over to Galen Gilbert. The station was off-the-air at that time. Gilbert put the station back on the air and try to bring it back to profitability. In August 1991, KSWM returned to the air as a stand-alone AM station from the studios at Locust & Jefferson. Art Morris was the manager and morning host. Kelly Ellison as sales manager and air talent, Kris Inman as air talent and sports director, Mariah McKinley as traffic director and air talent. These formed a core-group of people that helped to return KSWM to the air. Since the station had been off-the-air for several months, the first goal was to bring back the audience. Local news, weather and sports as well as the "Trading Post" program would help reestablish the audience. Within five years, the station was successful again.

In 1993, a companion FM station was built. KELE-FM (106.7 licensed to Mt. Vernon, Missouri) was eventually sold to Radio 2000, Inc. and became KHTO, and later KRVI ("The River") currently owned by Summit Media, Inc and is operated from Springfield, Missouri.

Another companion FM station was built in 1999. KQMO-FM (97.7, licensed to Shell Knob, Missouri) is currently broadcasting Spanish programming.

In 2003, Gilbert signed a contract with Dewayne & Janet Gandy and Bill Lewis (operating as "Falcon Broadcasting") to purchase the station and its companion FM (KQMO). Gandys and Lewis had purchased KRMO and KKBL in nearby Monett, MO a year or so earlier. They combined operations of all four stations (KSWM-AM, KRMO-AM, KKBL-FM and KQMO-FM) in the KSWM studio building on South Jefferson Street in Aurora.

External links

KSWM in the FCC AM station database
KSWM in Nielsen Audio 's AM station database

36°59′39″N93°42′58″W / 36.99417°N 93.71611°W / 36.99417; -93.71611

Related Research Articles

WPAT-FM – branded "93.1 Amor" – is a radio station that programs both a Spanish AC and tropical radio formats. Licensed to Paterson, New Jersey, the station is owned by the Spanish Broadcasting System and serves the New York metropolitan area. It has studios in Midtown Manhattan, and the transmitter is located at the Empire State Building.

WULM "Radio Maria" 1600 AM is an American non-commercial AM radio station licensed in Springfield, Ohio serving the Springfield and Dayton area with Catholic inspirational programming. It operates at 1600 kHz with a power output of 1,000 watts daytime and with a reduced power of 34 watts nighttime. It is a repeater of KJMJ 580 kHz in Alexandria, Louisiana, the originating English-language station of Radio Maria USA.

WHYN is a commercial AM news/talk radio station licensed to Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves the Pioneer Valley area of western Massachusetts and is owned by iHeartMedia. Studios and offices are on Main Street in Springfield. The transmitter is on County Road in Southampton. WHYN operates at 5,000 watts by day, using a directional antenna, but must reduce power to 1,000 watts at night to avoid interfering with other stations on 560 kHz.

WMXD is a commercial radio station in Detroit, Michigan, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The station operates with 45,000 watts of power from an antenna located on the Cadillac Tower building in downtown Detroit. The studios and offices were housed for years at Detroit's Penobscot Building until November 2009, when they were moved to the Clear Channel Communications studios in Farmington Hills.

KTTS-FM is a country music formatted radio station, licensed to Springfield, Missouri and the greater Springfield area. It began broadcasting in 1948, and is one of the oldest FM stations in the United States.

WIZE — branded Dayton's BIN 1340 — is a commercial all-news radio station in Springfield, Ohio owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. as part of their Dayton cluster. While servicing the Dayton metropolitan area, WIZE is also targeted towards Springfield, and their transmitter - and former studios - are located in Springfield. WIZE functions as the Dayton market affiliate for the Black Information Network. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WIZE streams via iHeartRadio.

WECZ is an American commercially licensed daytime-only radio station, licensed to serve the community of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The station operates with a maximum power output of 5,000 watts daytime, and 1,000 watts during critical hours. WECZ is owned by Renda Radio, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Renda Broadcasting Corporation of Pittsburgh.

WMAS-FM, branded 94.7 WMAS, is a commercial radio station licensed to Enfield, Connecticut, and serving the Springfield metropolitan area and Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. It broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. In the evenings, it carries Intelligence for Your Life with John Tesh. On Sunday mornings, it airs The Jim Brickman Show. The studios are at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.

WHLL – branded as Nueva 98.1 – is a commercial radio station broadcasting a Spanish-language latin pop format licensed to Springfield, Massachusetts. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station serves the Springfield metropolitan area; and the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. The WHLL studios are located at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, alongside sister stations WMAS-FM and WWEI, while the station transmitter, shared with WMAS-FM, resides in Springfield's Brightwood neighborhood. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WHLL simulcasts over low-power analog Springfield translator W251CT (98.1 FM) and on the second HD Radio channel of WMAS-FM, and streams online via Audacy.

KSWF is a radio station broadcasting a country format. Licensed to Aurora, Missouri, United States, it serves the Springfield, Missouri, area. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and licensed as iHM Licenses, LLC. The station is the former KGMY-FM and used to brand itself as "MyCountry 100.5," but later rebranded as "100.5 The Wolf."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KBFL (AM)</span> Radio station in Springfield, Missouri

KBFL is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. The station most recently and throughout most of its history had a Music of Your Life adult standards format; from September 1, 2013 through March 2, 2015, KBFL broadcast a smooth jazz format. KBFL simulcasts on KBFL-FM 99.9 and translator K245CA 96.9 FM. The station is licensed to Springfield, Missouri and was previously owned by Meyer-Baldridge, Inc..

KGMY is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Springfield, Missouri, United States, it serves the Springfield market. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and licensed as iHM Licenses, LLC.

KUOA is a commercial radio station licensed to Siloam Springs, Arkansas. It serves Northwest Arkansas, including Fayetteville and Bentonville. KUOA airs a Regional Mexican format and is owned by Jesus Gabriel Hernandez, through licensee Maxx Media Radio, LLC. The station is known as "La Maxxima 103.1 FM & 1290 AM."

KWTO is a commercial AM radio station in Springfield, Missouri. It is owned by Zimmer Midwest Communications and airs a talk radio format. The studios and offices are on East Chestnut Expressway in Springfield.

WTAX-FM is a commercial radio station broadcasting a news/talk radio format, simulcast with WTAX 1240 AM. Licensed to Sherman, Illinois, it serves the Springfield metropolitan area. The station is owned by Saga Communications, and operates as part of its Capitol Radio Group. The radio studios and offices are on East Sangamon Avenue in Springfield.

KXEN is a commercial AM radio station licensed to St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The station is owned by Louis Eckelkamp, through licensee East Central Broadcasting, LLC, and operated by Ellis Media & Broadcasting.

KMJC is a radio station broadcasting a public radio format. Licensed to Mount Shasta, California, United States, the station is currently owned by Southern Oregon University.

KIRS is a radio station licensed to Stockton, Missouri, broadcasting on 107.7 MHz FM. The station is owned by VCY America, Inc.

KZBK is a radio station airing a hot adult contemporary format licensed to Brookfield, Missouri, broadcasting on 96.9 MHz FM. The station is owned by Best Broadcasting, Inc.

KRMS-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Lake Ozark, Missouri, United States, serving the Lake of the Ozarks region as an affiliate of Cozi TV. It is owned by Viper Communications alongside radio stations KRMS and KRMS-FM (93.5). The stations share studios on Old US 54 in Osage Beach; KRMS-LD's transmitter is located on Osage Ridge Road, also in Osage Beach.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.